أسيلوا عليه الدمعَ.. فهوَ بهِ أجْدَى

أسيلوا عليه الدمعَ.. فهوَ بهِ أجْدَى

ولا تَذْخرُوا شكراً.. ولا تذْخروا حَمْدا

ولا تَذْخرُوا شكراً.. ولا تذْخروا حَمْدا

Let tears flow for him, for they are of greater avail to him.

Shed tears for him.. for with tears is he consoled

Do not withhold thanks, nor withhold praise.

Spare no gratitude.. spare no praise

فقدْ كان ذا فضْلٍ.. وقد كان ذا هُدىً

فقدْ كان ذا فضْلٍ.. وقد كان ذا هُدىً

يُفيضان للعافين من رَبْعِه رفْدا

يُفيضان للعافين من رَبْعِه رفْدا

For he possessed generosity, and he possessed guidance,

For he was virtuous.. and he was guided

Both pouring bounty from his dwelling to those seeking aid.

Both overflowing for the healthy from his land's plenty

ولا قوْلَ إلاّ هدْيُه مترسِّلاً

ولا قوْلَ إلاّ هدْيُه مترسِّلاً

ولا فعْل إلا رُشْدُهُ الجَمُّ.. مُمْتدّاً

ولا فعْل إلا رُشْدُهُ الجَمُّ.. مُمْتدّاً

No word but his guidance, unhurriedly expressed,

No words but his guidance flowing

No deed but his abundant sound judgment, reaching far.

No deeds but his righteousness abundant and extended

وقدْ كان لا يَسْتشعرُ الفخْرَ بيننا

وقدْ كان لا يَسْتشعرُ الفخْرَ بيننا

ولكنّه يستشعرُ الحبَّ والزُّهْدا

ولكنّه يستشعرُ الحبَّ والزُّهْدا

He never felt pride among us,

He never felt pride amongst us

But cherished love and renunciation.

But felt love and asceticism

ويُغْضِي عن الذمِّ اللئيمِ. ولا يَرى

ويُغْضِي عن الذمِّ اللئيمِ. ولا يَرى

لصاحبه الجاني عليه به حقْدا!

لصاحبه الجاني عليه به حقْدا!

He overlooked base disparagement, and bore

He would overlook vile blame and see

No rancor toward its author, who wronged him with it.

No right of enmity in his offender!

أأَحمدُ.. كنتَ الرّوضَ فينا.. ثمارُه

أأَحمدُ.. كنتَ الرّوضَ فينا.. ثمارُه

وأزهارُه كانت لنا النّفْحَ والرّغْدا

وأزهارُه كانت لنا النّفْحَ والرّغْدا

O Ahmad, you were the garden among us; its fruits

Ahmad.. you were the meadow, in us your

And flowers were fragrance and abundance for us.

Fruits and blossoms were our fragrance and plenty

فَصوَّحَ هذا الرّوْضُ.. جَفَّ نَميرُه

فَصوَّحَ هذا الرّوْضُ.. جَفَّ نَميرُه

فلمْ نَلْقَ طعْماً لذّ فِيهِ ولا وِرْدا

فلمْ نَلْقَ طعْماً لذّ فِيهِ ولا وِرْدا

Then this garden withered; its sweet water dried up,

This meadow is now desolate, its vegetation withered

So we found no sweet taste there, nor water to drink.

We find no more sweet fruits or roses in it

لقد كنتَ فيه بُلبلاً مُتَفَرِّداً..

لقد كنتَ فيه بُلبلاً مُتَفَرِّداً..

بأَنْغامِه يُشْجِي بها المجْدَ والوَجْدا

بأَنْغامِه يُشْجِي بها المجْدَ والوَجْدا

In it you were indeed a peerless nightingale,

You were in it a singular nightingale

Whose melodies poignantly stirred glory and longing.

With your melodies inspiring glory and fervor

فأجْدبَ هذا الرّوْضُ بَعْدكَ باكياً

فأجْدبَ هذا الرّوْضُ بَعْدكَ باكياً

على طيرهِ الشادِي الذي سكَنَ اللّحْدا

على طيرهِ الشادِي الذي سكَنَ اللّحْدا

This garden grew barren after you, weeping

This meadow now weeps barren without you

For its singing bird, who settled in the grave.

For its bird who settled in the grave

ونحْنُ كمِثْلِ الطّيْرِ نشكُو فِراقَهُ

ونحْنُ كمِثْلِ الطّيْرِ نشكُو فِراقَهُ

حنيناً إليهِ.. في المَراحِ وفي المَغْدَى

حنيناً إليهِ.. في المَراحِ وفي المَغْدَى

And we, like birds, lament his parting,

Like birds we complain of his absence

Longing for him at evening's return and morning's departure.

Yearning for him, at dusk and dawn

ونَذْكُرُه فينا شَذىً متضوِّعاً

ونَذْكُرُه فينا شَذىً متضوِّعاً

يفوحُ.. فيَسْتَهْدِي به السائرُ القَصْدا

يفوحُ.. فيَسْتَهْدِي به السائرُ القَصْدا

We remember him among us as a wafting fragrance,

And remember him amongst us, his memory an aroma

It spreads, and by it the traveler seeks guidance to the right course.

Guiding the traveler to his destination

وما كان إلاُ الرُّمْدُ مَنْ لا يَرَوْنَهُ

وما كان إلاُ الرُّمْدُ مَنْ لا يَرَوْنَهُ

ضياءً.. فما أشقى بإنْكارِه الرُّمْدا

ضياءً.. فما أشقى بإنْكارِه الرُّمْدا

Only the bleary-eyed failed to see him

Only the blind do not see him

As radiance—how wretched are the bleary-eyed in denying him!

As a light.. Oh how wretched is the blind in his denial!

ترفَّعَ عن نَهْجِ الغُواةِ تزهُّداً

ترفَّعَ عن نَهْجِ الغُواةِ تزهُّداً

ولم يَتَنفَّجْ كبرياءً ولا كَيْدا

ولم يَتَنفَّجْ كبرياءً ولا كَيْدا

He rose above the path of the wayward in renunciation,

He shunned the path of the wicked in asceticism

And never puffed himself up with pride or guile.

Never haughty or scheming

فإنْ قلْتُ فِكْراً. فهو فيهِ محلّقٌ

فإنْ قلْتُ فِكْراً. فهو فيهِ محلّقٌ

وإن قلْت حِسّاً. فارْقُبِ الجَزْرَ والمَدَّا

وإن قلْت حِسّاً. فارْقُبِ الجَزْرَ والمَدَّا

If I speak of thought, he soars within it;

If I say intellect, he soars in it

And if I speak of feeling, watch the ebb and flow.

If perception, watch the ebb and flow

هُما كِفَّتا فِكْرٍ وحِسٍّ تهَاطَلا

هُما كِفَّتا فِكْرٍ وحِسٍّ تهَاطَلا

بغَيْثٍ.. حَمِدْنا قَبْلَه البَرْقَ والرّعْدا

بغَيْثٍ.. حَمِدْنا قَبْلَه البَرْقَ والرّعْدا

They are the two scale-pans of thought and feeling, pouring down

They are the scales of intellect and senses interacting

Rain, whose lightning and thunder we praised beforehand.

With rain we praised the lightning and thunder before it

وهل تُنْبِتُ الآلاءَ إلاّ هَوَاطِلٌ

وهل تُنْبِتُ الآلاءَ إلاّ هَوَاطِلٌ

عَمَتْ نَحْسَنا عنَّا وأبْدتْ لنا السَّعْدا!

عَمَتْ نَحْسَنا عنَّا وأبْدتْ لنا السَّعْدا!

And what makes blessings grow but downpours

Can virtues grow but from ruinous wastes

That veiled our ill fortune from us and showed us good fortune?

That blinded our perception and revealed fortune to us?

أَأَحْمَدُ.. يا رُبَّ امْرِىءٍ مُتميِّزٍ

أَأَحْمَدُ.. يا رُبَّ امْرِىءٍ مُتميِّزٍ

يُنَوِّرُ لحْداً مِثْلَما يُطْرِبُ المَهْدا

يُنَوِّرُ لحْداً مِثْلَما يُطْرِبُ المَهْدا

O Ahmad, how many a distinguished man

Ahmad.. O Lord of the exceptional man

Illumines a grave just as he gladdens a cradle!

Who illuminates a tomb as he gladdens a cradle

وقَدْ كُنْتَهُ شيخاً.. وقَدْ كُنْتَهُ فَتًى

وقَدْ كُنْتَهُ شيخاً.. وقَدْ كُنْتَهُ فَتًى

فَمَا أَكْرَمَ المَثْوى. وما أكْرَمَ الخُلْدا

فَمَا أَكْرَمَ المَثْوى. وما أكْرَمَ الخُلْدا

You were such a man in old age, and such a man in youth;

He was an elder.. he was a youth

How noble the resting place, and how noble eternity!

So honorable his resting place, so honorable his eternity

عسَاني إذا ما شاءَ رّي تباركَتْ

عسَاني إذا ما شاءَ رّي تباركَتْ

آيادِيه.. كم أَجْدَى علينا. وكم أسْدَى

آيادِيه.. كم أَجْدَى علينا. وكم أسْدَى

May I, when my Lord wills—blessed be

I hope when my Lord of Blessings

His favors; how much He has benefited us, how much He has bestowed—

Wills with His hands.. So beneficial for us, so bountiful

رَحِيليَ.. أنْ أَلْقى لديه فواضلاً

رَحِيليَ.. أنْ أَلْقى لديه فواضلاً

وإن كنتُ لم أرْعَ الذّمامَ ولا العَهْدا

وإن كنتُ لم أرْعَ الذّمامَ ولا العَهْدا

My departure, find bounties in His presence,

My departure to find His grace

Though I have not honored obligation or covenant.

Though no covenants or promises have I kept

وأَنْ أَتَلاقَى والكرامَ من الأُلَى

وأَنْ أَتَلاقَى والكرامَ من الأُلَى

تسارَعْنَ قبلي للرّحيلِ الذي أَرْدى

تسارَعْنَ قبلي للرّحيلِ الذي أَرْدى

And meet the noble ones among those

And to meet the generous souls who hurried

Who hastened before me to the departure that brought death.

Before me to the final journey I seek

فكم أَشْتَهِي. والدمعُ يذرفُ والمُنَى

فكم أَشْتَهِي. والدمعُ يذرفُ والمُنَى

تُجاذِبُني شوقاً.. وتُخْلِفُنِي الوَعْدا

تُجاذِبُني شوقاً.. وتُخْلِفُنِي الوَعْدا

How I yearn, while tears stream and hopes

How I long, as tears flow and death

Tug at me with longing and break their promise to me,

Pulls me in yearning.. and leaves me the promise

لِقائِي بهِمْ في مَوْطِن الخُلْدِ.. لا أَسىً

لِقائِي بهِمْ في مَوْطِن الخُلْدِ.. لا أَسىً

بهِ أو وَنىً يُضْنِي المساعيَ والجهْدا

بهِ أو وَنىً يُضْنِي المساعيَ والجهْدا

To meet them in eternity's abode, where no sorrow

Of meeting them in the eternal abode, no sorrow

Or weariness saps endeavor and effort.

Or fatigue therein to mar endeavors and effort

ترقَّبْتُهُ يوماً فيَوْماً.. فَلَمْ يَفىءْ

ترقَّبْتُهُ يوماً فيَوْماً.. فَلَمْ يَفىءْ

إِليَّ.. ولكنْ سامَني النَأي والصَدَّا

إِليَّ.. ولكنْ سامَني النَأي والصَدَّا

I awaited him day after day, yet he did not return

I awaited him day after day.. but he did not return

To me; instead, he made me endure distance and rebuff.

To me, though longing and separation endured

ووَلَّى وأَبقى الهَشَّ.. ما يَسْتويَ بِهِ

ووَلَّى وأَبقى الهَشَّ.. ما يَسْتويَ بِهِ

وقَدْ لانَ –عُودِي لَيْتَه تركَ الصَّلْدا

وقَدْ لانَ –عُودِي لَيْتَه تركَ الصَّلْدا

He departed, leaving the frail, no match for him,

He turned away leaving the feeble me - would that he had left the firm!

While my stem had softened—if only he had left the sturdy!

For I have returned, unable to journey on

فَعُدْتُ وما أقْوى على السّيرِ قابعاً

فَعُدْتُ وما أقْوى على السّيرِ قابعاً

بِدارِي. فلا جَذْباً أطيقُ ولا شَدَّا

بِدارِي. فلا جَذْباً أطيقُ ولا شَدَّا

So I returned, unable to walk, huddled

Remaining in my home, too weak to be drawn or pulled

In my house; I can endure neither pulling nor strain.

In my throat a lump from pain, and in my core

وعُدْتُ وفي حَلْقي من الصّابِ غصّةٌ

وعُدْتُ وفي حَلْقي من الصّابِ غصّةٌ

وفي مُهْجَتي من بَعْدِ ما طَعِما.. شُهْدا

وفي مُهْجَتي من بَعْدِ ما طَعِما.. شُهْدا

And I returned with a choking lump of bitter sap in my throat,

After tasting sweetness, grief

And in my heart, after both had tasted honey.

When can one enjoy life and find in it

مَتَى يَجْتَوِ المَرْءُ الحياةَ يَجِدْ بها

مَتَى يَجْتَوِ المَرْءُ الحياةَ يَجِدْ بها

مَرَازِىءَ تُنْسِيه المباسِمَ والنَّهْدا

مَرَازِىءَ تُنْسِيه المباسِمَ والنَّهْدا

Whenever a man loathes life, he finds in it

Pleasures that make him forget smiles and softness?

Calamities that make him forget smiling lips and the swelling breast.

How.. when parting has scorched with its fire

وكيْفَ.. وقد أَصْلَى الفِراقُ بِنَارِه

وكيْفَ.. وقد أَصْلَى الفِراقُ بِنَارِه

حناياهُ.. حتَّى ما يطيقُ لهُ وَقْدا

حناياهُ.. حتَّى ما يطيقُ لهُ وَقْدا

And how could he not, when parting has scorched with its fire

My worries.. until I cannot withstand any flame

The folds of his breast, till he cannot bear its blaze?

Senses have betrayed me.. perception has betrayed me

وقد خانَهُ حِسٌّ.. وقد خانَهُ حِجًى

وقد خانَهُ حِسٌّ.. وقد خانَهُ حِجًى

فلمْ يُبْقِيا حَيْلاً ولمْ يٌبْقِيا رُشْدا

فلمْ يُبْقِيا حَيْلاً ولمْ يٌبْقِيا رُشْدا

Feeling betrayed him, and reason betrayed him,

Leaving me no stratagems, no wisdom

Leaving him no strength and no sound judgment.

He had a band of peers.. but none remain

وكان له رَهْطٌ نِدادٌ.. فلم يَعُدْ

وكان له رَهْطٌ نِدادٌ.. فلم يَعُدْ

له مثلهمْ. فهوَ الذي افْتقَدَ النِّدا

له مثلهمْ. فهوَ الذي افْتقَدَ النِّدا

He once had a company of peers, but no longer

Like them, it is he who missed the peers

Has their like; he is the one who has lost his equal.

As he missed enjoyment, as he missed vine

كمَا افْتقَدَ اللَّذْوَى. كما افْتقَدَ الكَرَى

كمَا افْتقَدَ اللَّذْوَى. كما افْتقَدَ الكَرَى

بشَيْخُوخَةٍ تَطْوِي المواجعَ والسُّهْدا!

بشَيْخُوخَةٍ تَطْوِي المواجعَ والسُّهْدا!

As he has lost pleasure, as he has lost sleep,

With age folding hardships and toil upon him

In an old age that enfolds aches and sleeplessness.

Peace be upon the world.. the farewell of one

سَلامٌ على الدّنيا.. سَلامُ مُودِّعٍ

سَلامٌ على الدّنيا.. سَلامُ مُودِّعٍ

تطلَّعَ للأُخْرَى. لمَوْلاهُ واسْتَجْدَى

تطلَّعَ للأُخْرَى. لمَوْلاهُ واسْتَجْدَى

Peace upon the world—the peace of one taking leave,

Who looks to the next, for his Master he implored

Who looked to the hereafter, to his Lord, and begged for bounty.

Though in the days of youth he lacked

على أنَّهُ ما كان في مَيْعَةِ الصِّبا

على أنَّهُ ما كان في مَيْعَةِ الصِّبا

صبُوراً على رَيْب الزمان ولا جَلْدا

صبُوراً على رَيْب الزمان ولا جَلْدا

Though in the bloom of youth he had not been

Patience for the caprices of fate or fortitude

Patient with time's vicissitudes, nor steadfast.

May he in His pardon be saved from misery

عساهُ بعَفْوٍ منه يَنْجُو من اللَّظَى

عساهُ بعَفْوٍ منه يَنْجُو من اللَّظَى

فما أكْرم المَوْلى وما أَفْقَرَ العَبْدَا!!

فما أكْرم المَوْلى وما أَفْقَرَ العَبْدَا!!

May he escape the blaze through pardon from Him,

For how generous is the Master and how poor the servant!

How generous the Lord, and how needy the servant!